Sapphic Romantasy with Be Steadwell & C.L. Clark

Join us for Sapphic Romantasy, an enchanting evening celebrating queer love, magical legacies, and epic destinies in speculative fiction.

This event features , author of , appearing in person, and , author of , joining virtually for a conversation exploring how sapphic relationships, community, and power shape the worlds of fantasy and magical realism. The discussion will be moderated by Isis Asare, founder of Sistah Scifi.

From contemporary magic in Washington, D.C. to mythic rivalries in mist-covered fens, these two novels center queer love stories that challenge tradition, reshape destiny, and imagine futures filled with possibility.

Expect a lively discussion on sapphic romance in fantasy, the power of chosen family, class and political struggles, and how magic becomes a metaphor for transformation and resistance.

Whether you're a longtime fantasy fan, a romantasy enthusiast, or simply looking for stories where queer love and adventure take center stage, this conversation promises heart, humor, and imagination.
About Be Steadwell

Be Steadwell (They/Them, Be). Be is a queer pop composer and author from Washington DC. Be's goal as an artist is to write love stories centering Black girlies, introverts and weirdos.

Be earned a BA in Black Studies from Oberlin College and an MFA in film from Howard University. Be's short films Vow of Silence and Black Tea (2025) screened in film festivals around the world, including Black Star, HBO OutFest, The Schomburg Center, Inside Out Toronto and The Bush Films. Read more here.
About C.L. Clark

C.L. Clark, dubbed the "Patron Saint of Sword Lesbians" by Reactor Magazine, is a BFA award-winning editor and the Nebula-nominated author of a few essays, several short stories, and a handful of books, including the Magic of the Lost trilogy (The Unbroken), the novella Fate's Bane, and the Arcane novel Ambessa: Chosen of the Wolf. When they’re not imagining the fall of empires, they’re trying not to throw their kettlebells through the walls. For essays and extras, head to their website, clclarkwrites.com.
About Isis Asare

Isis Asare is the founder and CEO of Sistah Scifi, the first Black-owned sci-fi and fantasy bookstore in the U.S, and Executive Director of SFWA. She is the former Executive Director of Aunt Lute Books and holds degrees from Stanford, Columbia Business School, and Harvard University. Read more here.
About the San Francisco Public Library African American Center
The African American Center on the third floor of the Main Library welcomes students, researchers,, and anyone interested in learning more about the historical, political and cultural experiences of African Americans in California and beyond. In addition to housing a collection of circulating and reference materials that span a range of subject areas, the Center also partners with other library departments and community organizations to sponsor exhibits and programs that are free to the public. Read more here.
About Sistah Scifi
Started in 2019 by Isis Asare, Sistah Scifi is the first Back-owned book store focused on science fiction and fantasy in the US, as validated by the American Booksellers Association. Located primarily in cyberspace, Sistah Scifi launched three Sistah Scifi Book Vending Machines at Chapter510, located at 546 9th St, Oakland, CA 94607, and Northwest African American Museum and Distant Worlds Coffee in Seattle, WA, in 2022. Read more here.

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